Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-08-31
NO. AZ.
Great Feats of HOrsemanship Witnessed
in Chief Fridays Camp.

in Chief Fridays Camp.
In letter from Chief Fridays camp
General Brisbane writes: "Here we saw
many curious scenes and learned much
of Indian life. One day Friday said to
me he would like to show off his young
men and let me see how well they could
ride. Atfirst expected some treachery,
as the whole herd of ponies was still in
the hands of the troops. The old chief,
however. was so earnest and apparently
honest about it told the Captain who
had the herd in charge, he might let
Friday have fifty ponies for his young
men. In about an hour they drew up
before the tents in war paint and
feathers. and were as fine a. set of
young fellows as | had ever seen.
Hardly one was but six feet in height
and beautifully proportioned. They sat
their horses like centaurs and were ease
and grace itself in the saddle. At a
signal from the chief they began their
movements with a yell that sent the
blood curdling to the heart and was
enough, if heard unawares or in the
night time, to make ones hair stand
on end. In a moment they had disap-
peared over a neighboring hill to the
right, and l thought they had gone,
but, hearing a mighty trampling of
horses, l looked to the left and there
they came. [ can compare it to nothing
but the wind. and they swept by so
swift and compact that they looked
like ball of horses and men. Splitting
in two, one body swept to the right and
another TO the left and again disap-
peared. In about two minutes the two
bodies charged each other in solid lines,
and WAITED almost breathlessly for the
shock, but as the horses heads almost
touched each other the files skillfully
opened to the right and left and the
lines passed through the intervals with
out touching. Wheeling to the right
about they passed back in an instant
and again disappeared over the hills.
Itwas about fifteen minutes before they
came in sight, and Friday informed me
they were blowing their horses. Pres
emily on they came and wheeled by
fours, formed columns, broke by fours,
and finally deployed as skirmishers
1t was now we saw the finest individual
horsemanship. Some would approach
lying so close to the pony's back moth
ing but the horse could be seen. Others
stood up and rode as circus men do.
Some would hang with one foot and
one hand on the horses and sweep by,
their bodies completely protected by
the bodies of the animals. Some leaped
upon the ground holding to the names
of the horse, and after running a step
or two would swing themselves up on
the backs of the horses again as easily
as any circusman could do it. The
positions they assumed and the feats
of horsemanship which they performed
were incredible, and | doubt if any
thing outside of circus ring ever
equaled it. They would throw objects
on the ground and pick them up again
while passing at full speed, the war
riors hanging to the sides of the horses
with one foot and one hand. They drew
bows and shot arrows from underneath
the necks and even bellies of the horses
while riding at a fast gallop. Our cav
airy could not learn to ride as well as
these Indians did if each man was
trained for twenty years. They ex-
changed horses while riding, and got
behind each other One man would fall
off his horse as if wounded, and two
others would ride up beside him, and,
taking him by an arm and leg, swing
him between their horses and carry him
off. The exhibition, or drill, as Friday
called it, lasted nearly two hours, and
the men and horses were completely
exhausted. I had never seen such mag
nifcent feats of Craftsmanship in my life,
and / freely said so. At this Friday was
much pleased, and calling up the young
men repeated to them in loud voice
what I had said and added few words
of his own complimenting them. The
young men were very proud of the man
ner in which they had acquitted them
selves, and l could imagine the feelings
of their parents and sweethearts. The
performers were much worn out, some
of them being hardly able to stand after
their violent exercise, and all evening
saw them laying in the lodges, where
the Indian women brought them food
and water, bathed their hands, arms
and limbs, and combed their hair
Chicago Times.
DIIkINENT